Controllable headlight.



J. M. WALKER.

GONTROLLABLE HEADLIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.17, 1914.

1,127,327. Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J? 2 Q m D Elm/0M0;

WMaoomI-:'g W67? HE NORRIS PETERS CQ, PHOTO-LITHQ, WASHINGTON. D. c,

J. M. WALKER.

CONTROLLABLE HEADLIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.'17, 1914.

Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

JOHN M. WALKER, OF ROCK CREEK, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA.

CONTROLLABLE HEADLIGHT.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

Application filed January 17, 1914. Serial No. 812,807.

biles in particular which will enable the roadway ahead of the vehicleor machine to be illuminated when traveling straight ahead, turning acorner or rounding a curve, thereby adding largely to the safety of thepublic as well as the occupants of the vehicle.

The invention provides a headlight which is automatically moved by thesteering mechanism so that when the steering wheels are turned the lightis correspondingly moved to throw the rays in advance of the machine.Novel means are provided to admit of throwing the headlight into or outof engagement with the steering mechanism so that when required thelamps may be held stationary this being of advantage when operating themachine during the day or at such times when the headlight is notrequired for use.

The invention consists of the novel features, details of constructionand combination of parts, which hereinafter will be more particularlyset forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out inthe appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, forming a part of the specification, Figure 1is a side view of the forward portion of an automobile provided with aheadlight embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view. Fig. 3 isa front view. Fig. 4 is a sectional detail of a lamp support andadjunctive parts. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the lampconnections and operating means. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view ofa modification.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings, by the samereference characters.

The headlight is of the variety embodying side lamps 1. Each of the lampsupports comprises a standard 2 and upper and lower arms 8 and 4, thestandard 2 being secured at its lower end to the frame of the machine orvehicle in any way. A journal 5 1s secured in the upper arm 3 and istubular to admit of electric wires (3 passing therethrough for conveyingthe electric fluid to the lamp 7 which is attached to the lower end ofthe journal 5. A; journal 8 is mounted in the lower arm 4: so as to turnand is in line with the journal 5. The lamp 1 is secured to the journal8 so as to turn therewith and is mounted on the journal 5 to turnthereon. Ball bearings 9 are interposed between the lamp 1 and journalsto admit of the lamp turning freely and with a minimum resistance. Asprocket wheel is loose upon the lower end of the journal 8 and isprovided with a half clutch. A. half clutch 12 is secured to theunderside of the arm 1. A sleeve 13 is mounted upon the lower portion ofthe journal 8 to turn therewith but is free to move thereon. The sleeve18 is provided at its lower end with a half clutch 14 to engage with thehalf clutch 10 of the journal 8 to cause the sleeve and journal to turntogether. A half clutch 15 is formed at the upper end of the sleeve 13and is adapted to cooperate with the half clutch 12 to prevent turningof the journal and lamp when the latter is required to be held stationary. A shipper lever 16 is fulcrumed between its ends to a post 17pendent from the arm 4. One end of the shipper lever 16 has engagementwith the sleeve 13 to admit of moving such sleeve to throw it intoclutched engagement with either one of the parts 12 or 11 accordingly asit is required to hold the lamp stationary or to connect the same withthe steering mechanism for movement therewith. A rod 18 connects theopposite end of the shipper lever 16 with one arm of a bell crank 19pivoted to the upper end of the standard 2, such bell crank having bothof its arms connected by means of rods 20 with fingers 21 of a lever 22fulcrumed upon the dash or other part of the vehicle within convenientreach of the operator. The lever 22 is provided with a spring actuatedhand piece-23 which is formed with teeth to engage toothed segments 24to hold the lever 22 and attached parts in the required position. Thelever 22 is preferably located at a central point and pairs of fingers21 branch therefrom. the rods 20 provided for each of the lamps beingconnected to the fingers of a pair. The construction is such as to admitof both sleeves 13 being operated simultaneously to throw both lampsinto or out of engagement with the steering mechanism or to lock thesame when it is required to fix the position of the lamp.

An arm 25 is connected with the drag link 26 and is provided at itsupper end with a pivoted finger 27 which is adapted to engage a link oreye of a sprocket chain 28 which connects the-sprocket wheels 10. Thedrag link 26 connects the arms of the steering knuckles to cause bothsteering wheels to move in unison, the pivoted finger 27 makes provisionfor the relative change of position of the drag link when the same isoperated. The finger 27,engaging a link or eye of the sprocket chainprovides for the up and down movement of the framework of the machineincident to the action of the vehicle springs. Movement of the drag linkor connecting rod 26 to the right or to the left causes a correspondingmovement of the sprocket chain 28 and the sprocket wheels 10 are causedto turn either to the right or to the left. When the clutch sleeves 13are moved to bring them in clutched engagement with the sprocket wheels10 both lamps turn together when the steering mechanism is operated.When the sleeves 13 are moved into clutched engagement with the clutchmembers 12 both lamps are held stationary.

In the modification shown in Fig. 6 the arm 25 is attached to a rod orbar 29 which in turn is connected by means of brackets 30 with the draglink or connecting rod 26. This construction is necessary when the draglink or connecting rod 26 is located in the rear of the axle so that thearm 25 may extend upwardly in front of the radiator.

When a vehicle or machine is equipped with a headlight embodying theinvention and it is required to have the lamps move with the steeringmechanism the lever 22 is moved to throw the clutch members or sleeves13 into clutched engagement with the sprocket wheels 10, hence when thesteering mechanism is operated the lamps are correspondingly moved.lVhen it is required to disconnect the lamps from the steering mechanismand hold such lamps stationary the lever 22 is moved to throw Copies ofthis patent may be obtained for the clutch members 13 into clutchedengagement with the members 12.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the advantages of the construction and of themethod of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the artto which the invention appertains, and while I have described theprinciple of operation of the invention, together with the device whichI now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have itunderstood that the device shown is merely illustrative, and that suchchanges may be made when desired as are within the scope of the claimsappended hereto.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new, is

1. In a headlight, the combination of a standard, upper and lower armsprojecting from such standard, a journal fixed in the upper arm, asecond journal rotatable in the lower arm, a lamp body rotatable on theupper journal and secured to the lower journal to turn therewith, a lampattached to the lower end of the upper journal and means for turning thelower journal to move the lamp body about the upper journal and the lampcarried by such journal.

2. In combination, side lamps, supports therefor, journals projectingfrom the lamps and mounted in the lamp supports, connecting meansbetween the lamps and the steering mechanism of the vehicle providedwith the lamps, movable clutch members adapted to cooperate withcomplemental clutch members either for holding the lamps stationary orconnecting them with the lamp operating means, levers having connectionwith the movable clutch members, bell cranks connected with such levers,an operating lever located. within convenient reach of the driver andprovided with pairs of fingers and rods connecting the pairs of fingerswith the arms of the bell cranks.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN M. WALKER.

Witnesses:

EDWARD PIT'IENDRIGH, HENRY NICHOLSON.

five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

